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Mmmm…It’s Almost Ice Cream Season!

Hey everyone! For my next travelogue, I want to try to actually make some of the new media that we discuss in class. You can read more about what I want to do on my Twitter account: @Leslie4IceCream. I’m working on hopefully getting a plugin installed to WordPress, so you won’t have to go directly to Twitter, but for now, Twitter will do! The two images below will take you to my Twitter account.

10 Comments

Harris21:19, Mar 22nd, 10

o m g this is going to be fun! That’s a very very smart idea and the new content you will create is actually going to be useful!

So… explain a little more how this works. I mean your plan is sound, but what will you have to do, step by step, to be able to set things up on the web?
This sounds very promising indeed, once we know what the deal is we could replicate this to create other useful map-based content… although it is my conviction that ice cream is one of the most important and useful things in the world.

ElzbthMllr08:27, Mar 23rd, 10

Great idea, I love it. Let me know how I can spread the word to my Twitter followers! I love mash ups like this. Can’t wait to hear how this goes. Also interested like Harris in the step by step. It seems that the success of this may be based on how you can engage people to text in their

I really like your idea, especially the content you have chosen to use in your feed. I am interested in knowing the technical process behind your project, mainly because I personally would like to know how to do it myself!

I also thought your initial post was very cool with your “note pad.”

Leslie12:22, Mar 23rd, 10

Thanks for the comments! I’m not 100% certain of the process yet- I’m learning as I go here. But, I currently see it as trying to create a specific RSS feed through something like Yahoo Pipes that can then be retweeted by my @NYC_IceCreamSpy Twitter Bot. These retweets, as long as they’re accompanied by a geotag will then display on a map through another RSS feed (also created on Yahoo Pipes possibly). It sounds really confusing when I try to think of it in my head…but hopefully as I play around, it will all come together. I’ll definitely keep you guys updated as the process goes- I think Twitter will be very good for this. It will let me relay the steps to you as I’m doing them.

Once I get things running, I’d definitely love for you guys to spread the word through Twitter in any way you can! Thanks for that suggestion, Elizabeth. And thanks for the example of SeeClickFix- that seems to be what I’m trying to do…but in a more simple version. I wish I could create a cool iPhone app to make this all come together, but I think that might be way over my head! Maybe that can be a future project if I can get this 1st step to work…

mushon10:40, Mar 26th, 10

Yahoo pipes is a great call. It think it is the right way to go. Please keep us posted about your process, it would be great if you manage to make mashups with Yahoo Pipes and share your knowledge with the class. Maybe consider presenting the results on an individual site. It thought the #ICtruck hushtag might be a good one to promote (ICtruck = Ice Cream truck / I see truck). ictruck.net or .org are available.

Leslie15:43, Mar 27th, 10

Oh I like the double meaning hashtag, thanks! The Yahoo Pipes is tough- I’m having trouble figuring out what things mean, but it helps that people open source their already made pipes for others to use. I’m a little scared about the whole setting up a website thing since I don’t know html well, but I was doing some research, and it looks like I can set up a WordPress blog right within the website, like I guess this website is?

mushon17:03, Mar 27th, 10

Maybe you should also switch your username to @ictruck just for consistency’s sake. Your current username is slightly too long as a twitter handle. @ictruck is available.

You think so? I figured choosing something like NYC_IceCreamSpy would make it more easily searchable & recognizable concerning its intent/purpose. Do you think something like @ictruck would take away from the ability to search for the “idea” of ice cream trucks? Should I pick something more simple, but that explicitly states “ice cream,” or do you think that won’t really make a difference?

I agree with you that the hashtag should be short and something easy to remember, but should the actual name tell more of a story, especially since people don’t have to directly tweet to the name, since I’m just going to use an RSS feed that picks up the specific hastag?

Thanks for telling me about UMapper- just saw the email, too. I was reading that Bing Maps now has a special Twitter map that looks really cool- I’ve been looking into that as of now, but it keeps tweets up to 7 days, which might not be so great. Maybe UMapper will let me specifically pick how often it updates itself.

mushon18:55, Mar 27th, 10

Yeah, you might be right about the name. though it might be good to register ictruck just in case and leave it as an option for later.

Try to think what kind of other queries can you run to get ice cream trucks by people who have not used the hashtag. Here’s a start.